SAUL'S DISOBEDIENCE
A. The Philistine threat
1. (1 Sam 13:1-2) Saul assembles Israel's first standing army
Saul was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years over Israel. Now Saul chose for himself 3,000 men of Israel, of which 2,000 were with Saul in Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, while 1,000 were with Jonathan at Gibeah of Benjamin.
Saul was thirty years old when he began to reign: The text here is not correct. The Hebrew is lacking/missing words. The actual Hebrew reads as follows: "Saul was--years old when he began to reign, and he reigned--and two years over Israel." Either the numbers were wanting in the original text or they have been lost. The number "30" for Saul's age is supplied in some of the early manuscripts of the Septuagint and is a plausible conjecture. The length of Saul's reign may have been 22, 32 or 42 years. Saul was in the prime of his life when he was elected king, and his reign was of considerable duration. If Saul was 30 years old at his accession, the events recorded here cannot have happened for at least 10-15 years after Saul's coronation, for Jonathan, who as not been mentioned before, now appears as a fierce warrior. If this is the case, we have no account of the early years of Saul's reign.
Saul chose for himself 3,000 men of Israel: This is a very important statement as it tells us of the beginning of a standing army in Israel. This was the first step towards the development of Israel into a great military power. It was Saul's military intelligence and foresight which enabled David and Solomon to make those great conquests which raised Israel for a time to the position of one of the greatest Eastern powers.The life of Saul was spent repelling what may be termed Israel's domestic enemies--the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites and Edomites. But Saul left behind him a powerful and disciplined army, and a nation carefully trained for war.
Michmash: Michmash stood on a tract of ground near Ramah and Bethel in the border of Benjamin. It was located on the north end of the Wady es Suweinit, a deep ravine with precipitous sides running from the highlands of Benjamin to Jericho. About two miles southeast of Ai, it becomes a narrow gorge with vertical precipices 800 feet high. We may conjecture that when Saul occupied Michmash, the Philistines transferred their post, which had previously been at Gibeah (1 Samuel 10:5) to Geba, in order to watch Saul more closely.
Jonathan: This is the first mention of Saul's oldest son, whose memory is famous not so much for his military achievements, but for his enduring friendship with David. The name Jonathan means "the gift of God".
Gibeah: Saul's hometown, wherein Saul and his military would have gained the assistance of Saul's family and friends.
2. (1 Sam 13:3-4) Jonathan initiates conflict with the Philistines
Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul blew the trumpet throughout the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear." All Israel heard the news that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become odious to the Philistines. The people were then summoned to Saul at Gilgal.
Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba: Geba and Gibeah were towns in Benjamin very close to each other. The word rendered "garrison" is different from that of 1 Samuel 13:23 and 1 Samuel 14:1. The Hebrew word used here signifies something erected. It probably was a pillar or flagstaff. The secret demolition of this standard was the feat of Jonathan referred to is evident from the words, "the Philistines heard of it," which is not the way we should expect an attack on a fortress to be noticed.
Saul blew the trumpet throughout the land: The trumpet blast was a well-known sound and was the usual war-summons. The first trumpet blast was answered by the beacon fire in a neighboring place. When a second trumpet blast was blown, it was answered by a fire in a most distant locality. Thus, the proclamation was speedily diffused over the whole land.
Saul had smitten the garrison: The achievement was actually Jonathan's; yet, it belonged to Saul as the commander-in-chief. The attack had probably been done under Saul's instructions.
Israel had become odious to the Philistines: As long as the Israelites stayed in their weak, defeated place, the Philistines did not give much thought to the Israelites. As soon as the Israelites showed boldness and courage against the LORD'S enemies, the Philistines considered the Israelites to be "odious".
The same principle is true in our lives spiritually. We do not war against armies of Philistines. Instead, our enemies are principalities, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this age, spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). But our spiritual enemies have the same attitude as the Philistines. As long as we are weak and subjected to our spiritual enemies, they do not mind us. They may even like us. But as soon as we show some boldness and courage against the LORD'S enemies, our spiritual foes consider us "odious". If peace with the devil is more important to you than victory in the LORD, you will often be defeated and subjugated.
The people were then summoned to Saul at Gilgal: The people were summoned by proclamation to assemble at Gilgal. Gilgal most likely was selected because, as the valley opens there into the plain of the Jordan River, it was a fit spot for the assembling of a large mass of people.
3. (1 Sam 13:5-7) The Philistines prepare their army
Now the Philistines assembled to fight with Israel, 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen, and people like the sand which is on the seashore in abundance; and they came up and camped in Michmash, east of Beth-aven. When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were hard-pressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in cliffs, in cellars, and in pits. Also some of the Hebrews crossed the Jordan into the land of Gad and Gilead. But as for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
30,000 chariots: The number here is most likely wrong. The number of chariots was always less than the number of horsemen. Here, the number of chariots is represented as four times as numerous as the horsemen. In the records of the most famous armies, there was never anything close to 30,000 chariots. For instance, Jabin (Judges 4:3) had 900 chariots. Pharaoh pursued Israel with 900 chariots. When David defeated Syria, the great Syrian army had 40,000 horsemen and 700 chariots. King Solomon is reported to only have 1,400 chariots (1 Kings 10:26). Most likely, the text should read 300 chariots, and not 30,000.
People like the sand which is on the seashore: Here the word "people" means infantry, or people fighting in the army. "Like the sand which is on the seashore" is a common figure of speech for an indefinite number. "Indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of the enemies" (Genesis 22:17). "They came out, they and all their armies with them, as many people as the sand that is on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots" (Joshua 11:4). "When He rained meat upon them like the dust, even winged foul like the sand of the seas" (Psalm 78:27).
In Michmash, east of Beth-aven: Saul evacuated Michmash to withdraw to Gilgal. Jonathan, however, still held Gibeah (1 Samuel 13:16). Beth-aven means the house of naught or the house of idols. It was near Ai, between Michmash and Bethel (Joshua 7:2).
When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait: Jonathan was bold enough to launch the initial attack against the Philistines, but the men of Israel were not bold enough now to stand against their enemy. Many of the Israelites probably thought, "What we really need is a king. A king will solve all our problems." Now that they had a king, there problems still remained. We often think things will "fix" a problem when in reality the problem still exists. Israel now had a king, but Israel still had to face their enemies.
This very likely was no ordinary Philistine invasion which the Israelites had to fight against. According to the tradition preserved by Josephus, this Philistine invasion included a host of foreign allies. This accounts for the great numbers alluded to in the text "people like the sand which is on the seashore" (1 Samuel 13:5).
The people hid themselves: The wording of this text is very similar to when Israel feared Midian in Judges 6:2: "The power of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens which were in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds."
In caves: There were numerous caves found in the limestone ranges of Canaan. David subsequently found safety in them when he was hunted by Saul.
In thickets: The word as spelled here in the Hebrew occurs nowhere else. It most probably means clefts, rifts or fissures in the rocks. Moreover, the word thicket comes between caves and cliffs, which both refer to mountains. Hebrew is a language of repetition. It would be very unusual to list thickets or thorn bushes in between two items found in the mountains.
In cliffs: This would better be translated as precipitous cliffs which were found along the deep ravine which ran from Michmash to Jericho.
In pits: These were tanks or artificial reservoirs for water, which most places in Canaan had an abundance of, even before its conquest by the Israelites. These tanks were absolutely necessary, as the rains only fall during the spring and autumn, and the chalky soil will not hold water. When the tanks were dry, they would provide excellent hiding places.
Some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan: They Israelites fled as far as they could from the present danger. The land of Reuben is not mentioned, which was just on the other side of the Jordan River. Gad and Gilead (which was located in Manasseh) were farther away from the Philistines; therefore, the Israelites chose to go as far as possible away from the Philistines.
All the people followed him trembling: The people still honored Saul as king, but they were incredibly afraid. It is better to have "trembling" followers than no followers at all, but how much better would it have been if Israel would have really trusted the LORD and trusted that He would deliver them from the hand of their oppressors?
B. Saul's unlawful sacrifice
1. (1 Samuel 13:8-9) Saul offers the burnt offering
Now he waited seven days, according to the appointed time set by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering from him. So Saul said, "Bring to me the burnt offering and the peace offerings." And he offered the burnt offering.
He waited seven days: Saul was in Gilgal for many months. In the stress of the current crisis, every day seemed important. Saul knew that the Philistines were assembling a huge army against Israel, and once they were organized, they would be much harder to defeat. Saul waited for six days and part of the seventh day. The sun had not set on the seventh day, which is evident by Samuel's reproof of Saul. Samuel came on the seventh day before sunset with the intent to sacrifice. Saul, however, did not wait as commanded by Samuel. Some believe Samuel's command came back in 1 Samuel 10:8, when Samuel told Saul of future prophetic events: "And you shall go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice peaces offerings. You shall wait seven days until I come to you and show you what you should do."
The people were scattering from him: This trial of Saul's faith was a stressful one. The panic which pervaded all Israel was every hour thinning the troops which Saul had gathered at Gilgal. Saul longed for a chance to go to battle, but he was forbidden to do so until Samuel had offered sacrifice and inquired of the LORD. As the day passed, Samuel did not come. An attack from the nearby Philistine army seemed imminent, and Saul's forces were rapidly melting away.
And he offered the burnt offering: There is a difference of opinion among commentators whether Saul himself offered the sacrifices prepared for Samuel (and thus infringing on the priest's office) or whether Saul ordered the priest who was with him to offer sacrifices. It is more probable that the sacrifice which was offered so prematurely in the absence of Samuel was performed by the hand of Ahijah, the priest, who was most likely in attendance with King Saul (1 Samuel 14:3). In this case, Saul's sin was in not obeying the word of God, who had told him to wait until Samuel came. This coincides with Samuel's rebuke, which says nothing of any assumption of the priesthood by Saul.
Burnt offering: The burnt offering is one of the oldest and most common offerings in the Bible. The Hebrew word for "burnt offering" literally means to go up in smoke. The Israelites brought a bull, sheep or goat which had to be a male without defect to be killed at the entrance of the tabernacle. The animal's blood was drained, and the priest sprinkled the blood around the altar. The animal was skinned and cut into pieces. The hide was given to the priest while the rest of the animal was burned on the altar (Leviticus 1 and 6:8-13). The smoke from the sacrifice ascended to God, "a soothing aroma to the LORD" (Leviticus 1:9). A person could give a burnt offering at any time. It was a sacrifice of general atonement. It acknowledged the sinful nature of man and was a request for a renewed relationship with God.
Peace offering: The details of the peace offering are given in Leviticus 7:11-21. It was a voluntary sacrifice given to God for one of three reasons. 1) It could be given as a free will offering, meaning that the worshiper was giving the peace offering as a way to say thank you for God's unsought generosity. 2) It could be given alongside a fulfilled vow. 3) It could be given as a way to give thanks to God for His deliverance in an hour of dire need. Most likely, the reason for the peace offering in one text is based on reason number 3--a thank offering to God for His deliverance in a time of great need. The peace offering was meant to be eaten; only a portion of the animal or grain offering was burned on he altar. The rest was given back to the worshiper.
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